As the lights of the main island of Hawaii flickered, a helicopter from the research committee slowly descended, gradually approaching the holiday villa on the beach. Mobius sat by the window, her face expressionless as she rested her head against her hand, her thoughts far from the excitement of the journey.
It's so noisy.
From the moment they took off, Kevin was full of excitement, eager to prepare a surprise. Su, on the other hand, was calmer and seemed to have a good temper, though she was someone who could easily be tricked into acting as an assistant. But Mobius couldn't help but wonder—how were the two of them so familiar with the "wooden stake," just because they had shared a meal together?
How superficial.
She glanced at the three people playing cards. Hua looked utterly defeated, with notes scattered around her, which only added to Mobius' growing sense of amusement.
"We're almost there," Mei said, closing the book she had been reading and glancing out the window. "You let Kevin and the others make all this noise without making a sarcastic remark. To be honest, I'm surprised."
"What's there for me to argue with a bunch of idiots? But you, Mobius..." Mobius smiled her usual sarcastic smile and whispered, "I never thought a smart woman like you would end up with that paramecium. Is he really worth it?"
"You think I'm taking advantage of Kevin?" Mei responded.
"Isn't it? You and he are from completely different worlds, in terms of personality and intelligence. I never thought the two of you would be together."
"Feelings can't always be understood rationally."
"So you're saying you love him?"
"Of course."
Her answer came without hesitation, leaving Mobius momentarily stunned. She quickly tried to search for a flaw in Mei's words.
"Don't let your imagination run wild. You won't get an answer. Just like—" Mei smiled quietly and continued calmly, "Can you explain to me why you stopped all your research and came to Ryan's birthday party?"
The rhetorical question caught Mobius off guard, and she froze, her eyes darting around as she tried to come up with an answer.
"I just didn't want to get entangled by that woman, Elysia."
"Haha, you'd only get entangled if you came."
"That's because I've been exhausted from research recently and wanted to take a break."
"As if you and I ever get tired of work, let alone travel a thousand kilometers for a vacation."
Mobius opened her mouth several times but couldn't find the right words. Eventually, she sighed in frustration. "Then why are you here?"
"Because I'm free lately and Kevin wanted to come. I'm just accompanying him."
The answer was so simple that it left Mobius speechless. She wanted to make a sarcastic remark but swallowed her words. If she said anything more, it would make her seem less confident.
"Let me tell you the reason, Dr. Mobius," Mei said, pointing at the girl with notes on her face. She then pointed toward the two pink-haired girls in the villa. "Because of her, and them, right?"
How is that possible?
Mobius' pupils shrank. Despite her usual stubbornness, she couldn't find a way to argue. Just then, she saw Ryan blowing up a balloon next to Sakura, and her gaze became sharp.
It's all your fault. You embarrassed me.
The resentment she felt toward Ryan was palpable. When their eyes met, Ryan hesitated for a moment but then decided to put down the balloon, leave Sakura, and walk toward her.
Humph, that's more like it.
Mobius didn't know why, but her mood suddenly improved. She raised her chin proudly, keeping her gaze fixed on Ryan.
"Mei, we're finally here." Kevin approached, his face beaming with joy. "I didn't expect you to agree this time."
If there was a list of the happiest people, Kevin would surely be at the top. It was truly a surprise to him, and he thanked Ryan and Elysia a hundred times in his heart.
"I'm your girlfriend, of course I'll accompany you after work. Plus, I also wanted to meet Elysia and Ryan." Mei's smile was inscrutable. It was clear this wasn't just a vacation, but a trip with a clear purpose.
Kevin, who knew about the Mantis Plan and understood Mei had a lot to do, was simply thrilled that she would accompany him for a few meals in the cafeteria. But he didn't question her further.
"What are you looking at?"
Mei, who had been observing the situation, turned her head with a soft laugh. "A hilarious comedy."
Comedy? Why didn't I see that?
Kevin scratched his head and noticed many people leaving the villa. His gaze landed on a familiar figure standing by the swimming pool, waiting for the helicopter to land. He couldn't help but wave and say hello.
"Kevin, this idiot really got a bargain this time."
The helicopter blades whirred as Ryan looked up and immediately spotted the excited white-haired young man. It was clear that Mei wasn't paying attention to Kevin; she was here for him.
Since Mei was the one who formulated the plan, she was well aware of the abnormality surrounding the Fourth Herrscher. With her intelligence, she could easily analyze the situation.
Ryan didn't take it too seriously, though. He had time to talk about work later.
Standing there quietly, he watched as the helicopter landed and the hatch opened. Kevin and Su jumped out first.
"Happy birthday!"
The three of them embraced, their friendship still as strong as ever. However, Su was much smarter than the others and whispered to Ryan, "Your birthday's not going to be an easy one."
"Hey, it's better than fighting on the battlefield, right? You two keep an eye on Hua for me later. Don't let her drink too much."
"Why?"
Ryan's face suddenly became serious, and he seemed to be worried. "Because she will make things more complicated."
He didn't elaborate further and turned his attention to Mei. The two exchanged a glance without saying anything, but their eyes spoke volumes.
Let's talk in detail when we calm down.
Ryan and Mei were deep in conversation, but now wasn't the time to chat. Instead, they focused on Hua.
The girl felt uneasy, knowing she had made things difficult for Ryan last time at the beach. If it hadn't been for Ryan's quick thinking, Mobius' evil plan would have succeeded.
"Brother, I..."
As she started to explain, she noticed Ryan's hand reaching out to her. She quickly closed her eyes.
"You lost the card game again. You didn't even tear off the paper." Ryan's tone was gentle. He tore off a piece of paper and shouted behind him, "Aren't you two ashamed of bullying a little girl?"
"Kevin, this villa is amazing. Ryan must have saved a lot of money secretly."
"Mei, did you bring your swimsuit? There's a swimming pool here."
Damn, these two bastards.
Ryan wanted to give them a friendly gesture, but in that moment, he found himself reminiscing about their school days.
"Brother, you two have such a good relationship," Hua suddenly said, making Ryan's smile freeze. Her next words made him even more uncomfortable. "Kevin told me a lot of things. Like, you helped him cheat, and he also said you were a stuffy and sultry person."
This big mouth dares to destroy my glorious image.
Ryan was furious, his eyes burning with hatred. He quickly turned away, but Hua, oblivious to his discomfort, continued to smile.
Ryan took a deep breath and looked at Hua, who was dressed casually today in a solid-color down jacket, black shorts, gray cotton socks, and brown leather boots. She looked like the girl-next-door, with long, slender legs.
"Ahem, don't listen to his nonsense. I just have a unique perspective on beauty."
"Is that why Dr. Mobius gave you a gift?"
Ryan's breath caught in his chest as he finally understood why Hua was dressed up. It seemed that Mobius was ruining his image, causing misunderstandings between him and Hua.
Just then, a taxi pulled up to the villa, and a red-haired woman stepped out. Hua's eyes lit up when she saw her.
"Team leader!"
Himeko, you came at the right time.
Ryan secretly gave a thumbs up. He wasn't particularly familiar with Himiko, but she had been invited by Elysia. However, when he saw her, his thoughts immediately turned to the Fourth Herrscher.
The woman paused for a moment, seemingly stunned, before returning to her usual tomboyish appearance.
"Go find her. Himeko's in a bad mood."
"Why?"
Ryan hesitated, then whispered, "The Fourth Herrscher is Lieutenant Rose."
The soft words sounded like thunder in Hua's ears, causing her face to fall.
When Rose was in the Far East Branch, she had already become the captain of another combat team. Though Hua wasn't very familiar with her, she knew that Rose and Himiko were close friends.
This...
"Keep it a secret and go talk to your captain. It won't be so hard to know the truth later." Ryan paused, patting Hua's shoulder. "You look good today. You're becoming more and more like an adult."
"Um."
Hua smiled, her face flushed with happiness. But when she saw Himiko, her expression grew serious. She realized that Rose's situation was even more complicated than she had imagined.
With a quick glance, she turned around and hurried to catch up with Himiko. As she left, she handed Ryan a box.
"Brother, this is my gift!"
Her face turned red as she quickly ran off, leaving Ryan confused.
I'm becoming more and more confused by this girl.
Ryan put the gift box aside, took a deep breath, and walked toward the biggest "boss" of the day.
"Mobius, do you want me to treat you?"
Mobius was standing by the hatch, but it was Klein who came down first, bowing repeatedly to congratulate Ryan, which left him slightly annoyed.
It's not my 80th birthday, so there's no need to make such a fuss.
But Klein was just that kind of person, so he let her go inside with Mei while he stood in front of the helicopter himself.
"Congratulations on turning 20. This achievement is rare in human history. It can even make people tolerate some childishness," Mobius said slowly as she stepped out of the cabin.
Ryan's eyelids twitched. A strange feeling washed over him, but he smiled.
"Yes, Aunt Mobius, do you envy the youthful energy of us young people?"
"How can you be so youthful and energetic? You're just like an old scholar. Wait, what did you call me?!"
Mobius' face instantly turned fierce, but Ryan wasn't afraid.
"Auntie? Did I call you too young? Then, how about Grandma Mobius?"
"You dare!"
"I dare you. Take a plane back if you have the guts."
Their loud exchange drew the attention of everyone on the lawn. Kevin looked at Mei with confusion.
"Why did they start arguing as soon as they arrived?"
"Kevin, don't you notice—"
Mei said with a calm smile, as if she could see through everything.
"Are they really on good terms?"